Procuring Goods and Services

Overview of Procurement

PURCHASING GOODS AND SERVICES

The purchase of goods and services in support of sponsored projects comprises the second largest activity. The two major procurement categories are

Supplies

Equipment

To make a purchase, a signedPurchase Requisition must be sent to Office of Grants Management. Requisitions are reviewed by the Grants Management Office for consistency with general regulations (eg: Cost Accounting Standards) and sponsor specific regulations.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE:

Equipment Purchase
For The Research Foundation, equipment includes items with acquisition costs of $5,000 or more and an expected useful lifetime of 2 years or more. The identification of an item as equipment subjects the item to an inventory requirement. Equipment inventory is managed byProperty Control and is subject to Federal audit.

Insurance
The Research Foundation offers casualty and theft insurance on research equipment, the costs of which are allowed on most sponsored projects. The RF Equipment Insurance Guide is available as a PDF.

Cash Advances

Cash advances are available to project directors under certain conditions to aid in the conduct of their grant activities. Advances can be used for field trip expenses, human subject payments and the purchase of materials and supplies. Funds can be advanced to cover anticipated needs for up to a 90 day period and must be reconciled (accounted for) with original receipts within that time frame. To be eligible for these funds PD's must take personal responsibility for their use in accordance with sponsor guidelines.